Canada's Dinosaur Park Creates GoFundMe For New Habitat Building After Alleged Contractor Issues

Non-profit reptile zoo Canada’s Dinosaur Park has set up a GoFundMe for their new habitat building on Wednesday after its contractor Total Construction Management Services Inc. (TCM) allegedly abandoned the construction.

File photo.

The fundraiser is set for $200,000 to complete the new building, cover legal costs to file a lawsuit against TCM and pay the sub-contractors and workers according to the GoFundMe page.

Sharper Construction LTD, Steel Con Contracting, Peterborough Crane Rentals and Zenner Concrete Pumping were the supposed unpaid subcontractors.

TCM was hired in September last year to complete the building for the next month and was given $300,000 as stated by the Dinosaur Park staff.

The park claims TCM abandoned construction in December and never returned to the job site since. The contracting company embezzled the money without paying workers and disappeared according to park director Byr Loyst.

“It’s sad that someone would do that to the animals and to a charity, he said. “I can’t believe someone is that awful a person.”

TCM owner James Gillingham has been contacted several times and by PTBOCanada by the park but did not respond. The director claims that TCM’s lawyer said the park would be reimbursed by Gillingham but was delayed by several months.

According to Loyst, he received a phone call from the TCM’s lawyer on Wednesday and the latter allegedly was lied to by Gillingham and did not have his retainer paid. The call left the park to create the GoFundMe.

If the fundraiser’s goal has been achieved, the park’s intention to take legal action would be in question. The decision would be decided by their board of directors said Loyst. He claims that the law firm he spoke with requires roughly $50,000 to pursue legal action.

Ultimately, the park’s director just wants the building finished for the reptiles and the workers to be properly compensated for their work. The incomplete building prevents admission income to maintain the park to be open to the public.

“I’m more concerned about the animals than anything else,” said Loyst. “The tortoises are stuck inside, not able to go in and out as they please and we have not been able to open.”

Donations for the GoFundMe or CanadaHelps for Canada’s Dinosaur Park can be made online.

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Watch This Great Video Shot At Indian River Reptile Zoo

First time visiting the Indian River Reptile Zoo near Peterborough in Ontario, Canada. I filmed some of the larger highlights as well as some of the most venomous and deadly critters. The zoo has over 200 live reptile exhibits including many deadly species not native to this continent.

[YouTube; Indian River Reptile Zoo]

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Dinosaurs Live! Exhibit At Indian River Reptile Zoo All Summer

They move! They roar! Yes, a neat new exhibit Dinosaurs Live! runs from June 30th to September 3rd at the Indian River Reptile Zoo, featuring life size dinosaurs with motion and sound. Make sure to check it out.

Here's the team working to assemble the life sized Tyrannosaurus rex for the exhibit.

[YouTube; Indian River Reptile Zoo]

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Indian River Reptile Zoo Near Peterborough To Capture The Gator In Stirling-Rawdon Pond

Photo by Ron Main[UPDATE: July 21, 9:21 a.m. There is growing skepticism that a gator is really in the Mill Pond in Stirling-Rawdon, and that the whole thing might just be a hoax. Bry Loyst from the Indian River Reptile Zoo couldn't find it in there, and the Star is reporting that analysis of the photograph taken by Ron Main by the provincial police forensic ID unit "has determined it's a picture of a photograph of an alligator."]

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ORIGINAL POST

That alligator—or caiman, a relative of the alligator—that has been hanging out in that Stirling-Rawdon Pond near Belleville for the past couple weeks may soon be captured (see the picture at left taken by Stirling-Rawdon resident Ron Main last Friday).

The Ministry of Natural Resources has commissioned Bry Loyst, curator of the Indian River Reptile Zoo near Peterborough, to capture the metre-long reptile, which is no threat to humans.

Bry Loyst pictured with Terri Irwin“The last (option) would be jumping on it like Steve Irwin, the crocodile hunter,” Loyst tells the Toronto Star, explaining he’ll use a snare and lasso to catch the caiman, which he'd house at the non-profit zoo. The caiman was likely a pet that someone got rid of.

[Toronto Star; Indian River Reptile Zoo]

[Picture of Bry Loyst via Indian River Reptile Zoo website]

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